Kelly
2025 SSA
2025 SSA
About Kelly
A predominantly male name in the US until the late 1950s, the name continued to rise for both sexes for both sexes for a further decade, before starting to decline for boys. Despite dropping out of the boys' Top 1000 in 2002, Kelly retains a rugged Irish charm.
Kelly for boys#1881 US
The name derives from Gaelic ceallach/em> "war" or ceall "church". It is also sometimes said to mean "bright-headed".
Famous fictional namesakes include 1960s (male) TV spy Kelly Robinson, as well as one of the (female) Charlie's Angels. Real-life namesakes include actor and dancer Gene Kelly, as well as the legendary Grace Kelly.
Kelly for girls#852 US
Once the quintessential bouncy teenager name, Kelly helped launch the trend of unisex Irish names . But it now takes a backseat to more substantial surname names like Kennedy.
Pronounced KEL-ee.
As of October 2026, Kelly ranked #1881 in US births in 2025 SSA, peaked at #97 in 1968, Nameberry popularity #515.
Popularity & trends
Data table
| Year | US rank · boys | Births · boys | US rank · girls | Births · girls |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | #1,528 | 105 | #432 | 739 |
| 2015 | #1,559 | 104 | #479 | 675 |
| 2016 | #1,460 | 118 | #514 | 605 |
| 2017 | #1,472 | 115 | #597 | 504 |
| 2018 | #1,597 | 103 | #619 | 485 |
| 2019 | #1,570 | 107 | #653 | 447 |
| 2020 | #1,520 | 110 | #745 | 366 |
| 2021 | #1,540 | 114 | #850 | 324 |
| 2022 | #1,485 | 122 | #808 | 347 |
| 2023 | #1,749 | 94 | #778 | 362 |
| 2024 | #1,579 | 109 | #868 | 310 |
| 2025 | #1,881 | 84 | #852 | 319 |
World rankings
Kelly for boys
Kelly for girls
Similar names
These 40 names were selected by our users looking for other names like Kelly.
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Kelly on lists
Famous Kellys
- Kelly SlaterBoy
American surfer
- Kelly Steven BlatzBoy
American actor
- Kelly JohnsonBoy
American baseball player
- Kelly Deshawn McCartyBoy
American basketball player
- Kelly Wayne ChaseBoy
Canadian ice hockey player
- Kelly Wayne GruberBoy
American baseball player
- (Bryan) Kelly HolcombBoy
American football player
- Kelly L. KirchbaumBoy
American football player
- Kelly Tyler OlynykBoy
Canadian basketball player
- Kelly Lee StinnettBoy
American baseball player
- (Peter) Kelly TripuckaBoy
American basketball player
- Kelly Crawford PerdewBoy
American businessman and TV personality of "The Apprentice"
- Kelly Robert PavlikBoy
American boxer
- Kelly HrudeyBoy
Canadian ice hockey player and sportscaster
- Clarence Leonard "Kelly" JohnsonBoy
American systems engineer and aeronaut
- Kelly JonesBoy
Welsh singer of band Stereophonics
- Kelly RenoBoy
American actor
- Kelly MonteithBoy
American comedian
- Kelly MakinBoy
Canadian film director
- Kelly JonesBoy
American tennis player
- Gene KellyBoy
American dancer/actor
- Ned KellyBoy
Australian outlaw
- Nat Kelly ColeBoy
adopted son of Nat King Cole
- River Kelly Smith (b. 2016)Boy
son of country singer Granger Smith
- Kelly Paul Oubre JrBoy
American basketball player
- Kelly BarnhillBoy
american children's author
- Kelly RutherfordGirl
American actress
- Kelly Brianne ClarksonGirl
American pop singer and first "American Idol" winner
- Kelly Maria RipaGirl
American actress and TV host
- Kelly Preston (born Kelly Kamalelehua Smith)Girl
American actress
- Kelly Michelle Lee OsbourneGirl
English singer and TV personality
- Kelly Jean Killoren BensimonGirl
American model and reality TV personality
- Kelly Lee CarlsonGirl
American actress
- Kelly CoultasGirl
American singer
- Kelly Marie MonacoGirl
American actress and model
- Kelly Kay EmbergGirl
American model
- Kelly Ann HuGirl
American actress and Miss Hawaii USA 1993
- Kelly Chen (born Vivian Chen WaiGirl
man), Hong Kong singer and actress.
- Kelly Kelly (born Barbara Jean "Barbie" Blank)Girl
American pro wrestler and model
- Kelendria Trene "Kelly" RowlandGirl
American pop singer formerly of Destiny's Child
- Kelly Cherelle PriceGirl
American R&B singer
- Kelly Brook (born Kelly Ann Parsons)Girl
American actress and model
- Kelly BrazierGirl
New Zealand rugby player
- Kelly Marie TranGirl
American actress
- Kelly Marie (born Jacqueline McKinnon)Girl
Scottish singer
- Kelly Gallagher (born Kelly Wearstler) American interior designerGirl
Playboy Playmate of the Month for
- Kelly LeBrock (b. 1960) American model & actressGirl
was in the 1985 film "Weird Science"
Kelly in pop culture
- Kelly SeverideBoy
Taylor Kinney's character on the TV series "Chicago Fire"
- Kelly SchadeBoy
Burkhardt, son of Adalind Schade & Nick Burkhardt 'Grimm'
- Dr. Kelly BrackettBoy
character on TV's "Emergency!"
- Kelly QuinnBoy
character on show "just add magic"
- Kelly BundyGirl
main character on TV's "Married with Children"
- Kelly KapowskiGirl
main character on TV's "Saved by the Bell"
- Kelly TaylorGirl
main character on TV's "Beverly Hills 90210"
- Kelly KapoorGirl
main character on TV's "The Office"
- Kelly WanwrightGirl
main character on TV's "Big Time Rush"
- Kelly DonovanGirl
character on TV's "The Vampire Diaries"
- Kelly GainesGirl
Woody's wife on TV's "Cheers"
- Kelly FoxGirl
Hayden's daughter on TV's "Coach"
- Kelly RobertsGirl
Barbie's younger sister
- Kelly QuinnGirl
main character in TV show "Just Add Magic"
- Kelly GibbsGirl
character on TV's "NCIS"
- Kelly CollinsGirl
character in TV movie "Cadet Kelly"
- Kelly BaileyGirl
main character on British TV's "Misfits"
- Kelly CramerGirl
character on American soap "One Life to Live"
- Kelly TaylorGirl
character on British soap "EastEnders"
- Kelly GarrettGirl
character on TV's "Charlie's Angels"
- Kelly PrescottGirl
character in Meg Cabot's "The Mediator"
- Kelly SutekhGirl
minor character in Pittacus Lore's "Lorien Legacies" series
- Kelly JonesGirl
Head Girl of St. Trinian's
- KellyGirl
character in "Prince of Darkness"
- Kelly GraysonGirl
character on TV series "The Orville"
- Kelly FarmerGirl
character in movie "Double, Double, Toil and Trouble"